III Caravana Eco-Tourismo South American Odyssey Dave Beckstrom Publisher

When I received an invitation to ride an ATV 1,100 miles across Bolivia, South America, my immediate reaction was a mixture of excited anticipation offset by a myriad of questions. How does one prepare for an extended ATV trip in a foreign Country? Of course there were the obvious tasks such as securing a passport, obtaining inoculations against nasty stuff like Yellow and Typhoid Fever, and preventative pills for Malaria and altitude sickness. However, the not-so-obvious tasks posed the challenge. I had questions such as what kind of gear to pack when faced with the prospect of three nights of camping in unknown climatic conditions? What supplies would be available for purchase along the route? How did my ATV need to be equipped to allow me to be self-reliant during the journey? These unanswered questions merely fueled my ever-growing excitement for what would undoubtedly become the most amazing ATV adventure of my life.

Centrally located in South America, Bolivia is bordered by Peru, Brazil and Argentina. Bolivia is just over a million kilometers in size with a population of roughly 8.1 million people. The official language is Spanish, however other dialects such as Aymara, Quechua and Guarani are spoken in various parts of the Country.

In 1997 a small group of Bolivian businessmen, who were involved in the distribution and sales of Motorcycles, ATVs and mopeds in Bolivia, organized the first off-road event in the Country. Their goal was to increase interest in off-road recreation and to bring a new form of tourism to the remote Villages and Cities along the route. The first event was relatively small and in 1998 attendance grew to around 60 participants. Now, in the third year with 120 participants the logistics of planning the event has become increasingly difficult. Fuel and cargo transportation needs have grown and securing enough lodging for the group has become a real challenge. In fact, due to lack of telephones the promoters sent a plane to many of the towns to secure motel reservations, arrange overflow lodging in private homes, and plan meals.

The Bolivian Caravana may just be one of the last great ATV expeditions to be found in our increasingly modernizing world. Participating in the Caravana gives one a sense of what Christopher Columbus must have felt as he set forth to discover the new world. I had a feeling I was about to discover a new world and I couldn't wait for the adventure to begin.